Find Your Moment of Zen in LA

Photo: Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden

• Asian Gardens, Labyrinths, and More

Whether you’re meditating by a koi pond, strolling through a Zen garden, or reading poetry in a Chinese pavilion, Los Angeles offers countless opportunities to reconnect with your inner peace. These Asian gardens provide a perfect antidote to the bustle of daily life. Reserve your visit today and embrace the serenity of LA’s urban sanctuaries.

6) Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden

270 Arlington Dr, Pasadena 91105
626-399-1721
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The Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden was designed in 1935 by Kinzuchi Fujii for Charles and Ellamae Storrier Stearns, who were patrons of the arts and influential figures in Pasadena's cultural and civic life. Fujii dedicated seven years to create the garden, which he designed in the chisen kaiyu shiki (“strolling pond”) style. Considered a masterwork, the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden is Fujii's only surviving garden and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in February 2005.

Under the direction of Dr. Takeo Uesugi, the garden was faithfully restored from 2007 to 2013. Dr. Uesugi's acclaimed projects include the James Irvine Japanese Garden at JACCC and the redesign of the Japanese Garden at The Huntington Library. Highlights include the rebuilt 12-tatami mat teahouse, four original bridges, a traditional cedar log waiting house, two large connected ponds, and a 25-foot hill with cascading waterfall.

7) Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine

Labyrinth at Arlington Garden

17300 W Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades 90272
310-454-4114
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Founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1950, the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine is a lush, ten-acre site tucked away off Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades. Visitors can walk along lakeside paths and spend quiet time in various meditation gardens. One of the Lake Shrine's most famous outdoor spaces is the Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial, a “wall-less temple” that features a thousand-year-old stone sarcophagus from China that holds a portion of Gandhi's ashes in a brass and silver coffer.

8) Arlington Garden

275 Arlington Drive, Pasadena 91105
626-578-5434
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Pasadena's only dedicated free public garden, Arlington Garden was built in 2005 on the former site of the historic Durand Mansion. Located across from the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden, the pet-friendly garden includes both native plants and species from other Mediterranean climate regions. Visitors can do a walking meditation in the classical, seven-circuit labyrinth that was built in October 2010. In November 2008, 21 crepe myrtle trees were donated and permanently installed at Arlington Garden as part of Yoko Ono's Wish Tree series.

9) Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens

Photo: Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens

3500 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles 90018
323-737-4055
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Opened in 2002, the Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens is a nonprofit spiritual center located in the historic West Adams District. Visitors are invited to "unwind the mind" by walking the stone labyrinth, modeled after the famous Chartres Cathedral labyrinth in France. The Asian-themed meditation garden features 16 water fountains, a koi pond, and several intimate seating areas for reflection and meditation. Reservations are required.

Los Angeles' diverse collection of Asian gardens and labyrinths showcases the city’s dedication to creating peaceful spaces for its residents and visitors. Whether it’s a tea ceremony in a Japanese garden, a reflective moment by a koi pond, or a meditative walk through a labyrinth, these serene spots offer the perfect opportunity to find your moment of Zen.